


Only You Can Cool My Desire

by cassiopeiasara



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: Curses, F/F, Prompt Fill, royal au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-05-15 08:11:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14786735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassiopeiasara/pseuds/cassiopeiasara
Summary: There were many versions of the story around how Princess Ada became cursed. Some say she got it while in disguise in a nearby village, others claim she lost a duel, and still others say that she entered into a shady deal with a local merchant who sold her soul in revenge. The truth is much simpler and in some ways much crueler.





	Only You Can Cool My Desire

**Author's Note:**

  * For [okaynextcrisis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/okaynextcrisis/gifts).



> A/N: A tumblr prompt fill for Royal AU+Curses. No beta so any and all mistakes are my own. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I seek no profit. Title from Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire"

There were many versions of the story around how Princess Ada became cursed. Some say she got it while in disguise in a nearby village, others claim she lost a duel, and still others say that she entered into a shady deal with a local merchant who sold her soul in revenge. The truth is much simpler and in some ways much crueler. All Ada wanted to do was help her sister. When they were sixteen, Agatha wandered away from the castle one evening as she was more than apt to do and when she snuck back in, she passed through an older woman’s rose garden and stole a rose. Ada, in an effort to do the right thing, sought out the woman to return it. The mistake she made was claiming (when the woman asked her who she was) that she was just a local village girl. One should never ever lie to a witch, especially one who just seems an ordinary old woman who does nothing but tend roses. **  
**

For her trickery (or honest mistake as Ada would go on to claim when she had to admit what happened to Archibald and Alma), Ada was cursed with a touch so warm it would melt someone else’s skin. Her first victim was Agatha who grabbed Ada’s hand during their seventeenth birthday to show her something and nearly lost the skin on her palm in the process. It was no surprise to Ada that among her gifts that year was a simple pair of pink leather gloves. The color did little to help her feel better about the ailment but Ada was nothing if not unfailingly optimistic.

When no suitors came for her on her 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st birthdays, Ada didn’t complain. She’d already reasoned that her life would include spinsterhood and honestly, there were worse things. She still had a kingdom to run and she did everything she could to become a competent leader.

By the time she hit her mid thirties, Ada was only concentrated on how best to serve her people (and keep her sister from running through her inheritance) and so the traditional annual time for suitors was forgotten.

Then one year there is an inquiry for the first time in fifteen years. Ada is called away from a meeting with her ministers to meet a princess a little over a decade younger than she with parents who looked more interested in the curtains than their daughter.

Hecate, Ada learned, had been a bit difficult to find a suitable match for. Her parents cited impossible standards from other kingdoms or cultural misunderstandings for why that might be the case but the look in Hecate’s eyes and her parents avoidance of details told Ada it was something different. Ada’s parents, aging rapidly and unused to the interest, agree to the match but Ada will not very well marry someone who very obviously des not know the truth about her.

She arranges to meet with Hecate one evening in her favorite library. She’s actually convinced Hecate has elected not to come before Hecate waltzes in five minutes before Ada planned to leave.

Ada curtsies. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.”

Hecate curtsies in return but uses her height to look above and behind Ada when she responds. “If you’re hoping for a lifetime of pleasantry, I suggest you ask your parents to consider someone else.”

Ada tilts her head. “Actually, I thought perhaps you might want your parents to reconsider.”

Hecate looks into her eyes for the first time and though Ada had thought she was very beautiful before, Hecate is downright stunning to encounter head on. “Why…would you say that?”

Ada takes a deep breath. “I’m cursed you see. A marriage to me would mean you could never do something as simple as hold my hand if I wasn’t wearing these.” She lifts up her hands and showcases the gloves that no matter what exciting color she paints them still feel like an unbearable life sentence.

Hecate nods. “I see. Were there any other reasons?”

Ada knits her eyebrows. Hecate seems decidedly calm and unimpressed. Ada, at a loss, just shakes her head. “No, no, that was all.”

“Very well,” says Hecate as she turns and leaves.

Ada fully expects the Hardbrooms to leave the next morning and that her engagement to Hecate will be called off but it isn’t. Ada is no closer to finding out why when her wedding day arrives two months later. She doesn’t get much chance to talk to Hecate in that time until they’re seated in what is to be their new sitting room.

Ada twiddles her thumbs as she looks at the fire unsure of what to say. She opens her mouth but before she can say anything Hecate starts to speak.

“When I heard how long you’d gone on without an offer of marriage, I thought it was because you were ugly or wretched or a fool.” Ada turns to Hecate but Hecate keeps her eyes on the fireplace as she continues. “I came and found you were none of those things which is why you deserve to know something about me as well.” She takes off her gloves and Ada stares at her long pale fingers. It takes a moment before she realizes they have a curious sheen that remind her of-

“Ice,” she whispers.

Hecate nods. “If I touch anyone and I assure you, it hasn’t happened many times, their skin freezes.” She moves to put her glove back on when Ada shakes her head.

“Please let this be the one place you don’t have to hide,” offers Ada.

Hecate stares at her a long moment before she nods. “I did ask my parents to reconsider but only because I wanted to spare you.”

Ada smiles softly. “How would you like to run a kingdom with me?”

Hecate looks a little shocked before she clears her throat. “I think I’d like it just fine.”

They don’t expect to fall in love, having both resigned themselves to accepting such an improbability, but that’s exactly what happens between their strategy sessions, meals, and literary discussion in the evenings.  

One night alone in that same sitting room after Hecate makes her laugh, Ada grabs Hecate’s hand. Both women stop as they realize neither one of them is wearing gloves. Ada comes out of her shock first and pulls her hand away.

“Are you all right?” They ask in unison.

When they both nod in the affirmative, Hecate whispers, “strange.”

Ada tilts her head as she looks at their hands. Hecate’s still bore their odd sheen and Ada’s feel just as they always had. “Do you think we might try again?”

Hecate nods slowly and tentatively offers up her hand which Ada takes gingerly. And nothing happens. At least nothing related to their curses. What did happen was nothing different from what usually happens when two lovers explore any wonderful new sensations that come from touch. They don’t find a cure or a break from their curse in one another but they do find an exception and sometimes that’s just as good.


End file.
